Fastening for stereotype-boxes



(N0 Model.)

B. E. PRATT.

FASTENING FOR STBREOTYPE BOXES.

No. 324,956. Patented Aug. 25, 1885.

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EIHVIN E. PRATT, OF CHlOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. N. KELLOGG NEIVSPAIER COMPANY, OF SAME PLAOE.

FASTENING FOR STEREOTYPE-BOXES.

GPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324.956, dated August 25, 1885.

Application filed Xovember 2S, 1581. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful IlllPlOVOlllOlll] in Boxes for Shipping Stereotypes, of which the following is a specification.

In our large cities there are now companies which prepare and stereotype columns of newspaper matter, and ship them to the small towns in the adjacent territory,where they are used by the publishers of papers having limited circulations, the large cities affording superior facilities for gathering news and assembling it in proper form. This business was formerly confined to supplying weekly papers, but it has lately been used in the case of dailies, the matter being put up in the forenoon, for in stance, and shipped to the country newspaper in time for its afternoon edition. The stereotypes, after being printed from, are returned to the stereotyper, and by him remelted and the metal used again, and there is thus a shipping of fresh stereotypes by the stereotyper each day, and a return of the same the following or other subsequent day. To provide a fresh package or box for each shipment of these plates would entail a very. onerous expense upon the business, and to avoid this, by providing a package which may be used over and over again, has been my object in this i11- vention.

My package consists of a strong box,shaped and sized to hold the required number of col umn-plates, and provided with a removable cover, which needs no nails or screws to hold it in place, the construction by which this is accomplished being fully hereinafter set forth. I also make the cover reversible, so that one side may serve as a surface upon which the address of the user may be permanently placed, and upon the other side the address of the stereotyper, in like manner. In this way the labor of affixing the direction each time the box is shipped is avoided.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my package. Fi 2 is a crossseetion of the same. Fi 3 is a longitudinal central section upon line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the cover about being inserted. Fig. i is a similar view to Fig. I), with the cover closed, and Fi 5 is a plan view of the box closed, showing the cover re versed from Fig. 1.

In said drawings, A A represent the sides, A the bottom, and A A the ends,ofmyimproved box, the ends being preferably dovetailed to the sides. At each end are straps or hands of hoop-iron, one of which, a, may be, and preferably is, wider than the other, a. Inside the box are blocks 0, which incidentally support the cover B at a height flush with the top edges of the sides and ends; buttheir principal ofiice is to strengthen the ends and cushion the blows inflicted thereon by the plates when the box is being handled. The cover is of such length that it not only lies entirely within the ends, but it is also capable of being inserted under the strap irons, as clearly shown. A spring, a, is secured either to the end piece, A, over which the wide strap is placed, or to the end of the cover itself. his spring acts as a guard to prevent the cover slipping out from under the strap a. The finger-hole 1) enables the cover to be pulled when it is to be taken out, and also enables it to be pushed into locking position. Ineidentallv the spring assists in this latter operation; but itis obvious thatsuch assistance is entirelyimmaterial, and that the only necessary function of the spring is that of guarding the cover against accidental slipping out of position.

When the cover is inserted within the vertical walls of the box, and under the end straps, the plates I are completely p roteoted, and may be expressed long distances without danger.

It will be noticed that the cover may be used either side out, and hence the address of the stercotyper may be permanently affixed to one side and the address of the newspaper publisher to the other side. This enables the stereotyper, when he ships the fresh plates, to address the box by putting the proper side of the cover outward, and the publisher, when he returns the used plates, needs onlyto insert the cover with the other side out in order to change the direction, so that the box will go back to the stereotyper.

\Vhile I prefer to use the end blocks, a, in the manner shown, yet it obvious that these ICO The shipping-box having strap-irons permanently and inimovably attached at both 15 ends, in combination with a removable cover adapted to be inserted within the vertical walls of the box and under said strap-irons, means, substantially such as specified, for supporting the cover,and a spring, 0, acting to hold the cover in position under the irons, substantially as specified.

EDWIN E. PRATT.

\Vitnesscs:

H. M. lVIUNDAY, EDW. S. Evils-Ts. 

